Seven Steps to…IF

Seven Steps to…IF

This week’s word is an interesting word of willPower. It’s not a word like many of the others that conjure up a sense of goodness or strength inherently, but yet, IF is such an important element of our willPower.

IF asks us to embrace unpredictability while reminding us to choose intent-fully.

We think we dislike unpredictability, but it actually serves us. It taps into our uniqueness. It gives us our individuality. Unpredictability is what opens up our creativity.

With the awareness of IF, we recognize our power of choice.

Choice to select this thought over another, to choose to get irotated if the hotel key card does not work…or not (this may have just happened to me!), and, more generally, to choose to think, act, or feel a certain way.

With the clarity of IF, we realize every action has a reaction.

Karma is this law of cause and effect. IF we take this action, what will it trigger? Worrying about karma may tempt us toward inaction, but that is not the point or optimal route. Rather, with an understanding of karms, we are more thoughtful and aware of our actions. We step out of our zombie habitual patterns and move into higher purpose.

When we embrace the word, IF, we open ourselves up to more.

Not just more in a quantitative sense, but more in a qualitative sense. Think about the quality of your experiences and how that quality changes with your mood, your frame of mind, and your energy levels. The unpredicted event or circumstance could be deemed a disaster or an adventure depending on your perspective toward IF.

So, this week’s Seven Steps are designed to help you embrace the IF-factor in your life:

1. IF you could do / be anything, what would you do / be? This gets into the heartfelt question of “What do you want?”

2. IF today was your dreamed-up day, what would you be doing?Who would you be seeing? (Note: “no one” is acceptable!) How would you be feeling? See if you can bring the feeling of it into your present self as you imagine it.

3. IF your energy is lackluster (on a scale of 1-10, 7 or less), your chances of success are extremely limited and unlikely…in any / all areas of your life.See if you can incorporate more rest (sleep and meditation) as well as other positive wellbeing strategies, such as healthy food, healthy movement (yoga, willPower), healthy emotions, and healthy grounding (via connection with nature, walking barefoot, etc.)

4. IF you have toxic lifestyle factors (food, sleep, or relationship patterns), think about how you can improve or remedy them.Toxic anything will negate the positive choices you are making elsewhere in your life. This is similar to the concept of “You can’t outrun a bad diet”. We work to purify the physical, mental, and emotional elements to heal ourselves “whole”-istically.

5. IF you experience discomfort, unease, or a negative feeling, try sitting with it…vs. stuffing it or erupting in it!By sitting with it, we stay in the flow and can release it more quickly and effectively. The tendency to stuff or embody pain of any sort will only wound us further and more chronically.

6. IF something unexpected happens, practice self-awareness. If it’s a negative-unexpected, let it go as quickly as you can; if it’s a positive, acknowledge by saying “thank you” to the person, Universe, or element that delivered this unexpected gift to you.

7. IF you are on the giving end, do not deflect, reverse, or belittle the incoming message of gratitude. In other words, respond to a thank you with “you’re welcome” instead of waving it off or turning it around. This way, we do not disrupt the flow of giving and receiving, and create more harmonious beings, relationships, and communities.

Sarah Ingmanson

Sarah is a studio owner, fitness instructor and competitor. She is a former investment banker and equity research analyst with her MBA from the Wharton School and her MA in International Affairs from the Lauder Institute of the University of Pennsylvania. Sarah is fluent in Japanese and consults with Japanese companies on corporate governance, finance, and investor relations. Sarah's interest in Japan stemmed from her first tour with Disney On Ice as a professional figure skater. For more info on Sarah and her studio, visit www.starslocker.com.